A B737-300 aircraft was released with part of the APU external drain mast missing; broken off.

Attributes
ACN	759267
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sbgl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : takeoff roll
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 231
ASRS Report	759267
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 206
ASRS Report	759263
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : apu drain mast damaged
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Prior to pushback; ramper came to the cockpit to inform us that there may be a panel missing from underneath the horizontal stabilizer. I had the first officer radio maintenance as I went out to inspect the aircraft. I found part of the drain mast cover missing/broken off. When maintenance arrived; he said that it would need replaced; but that it was safe to fly. He suggested that since we were full up with passenger and ready to go; that he would coordinate with maintenance when we landed and we could have the drain mast removed there. I asked him if our maintenance in that city was going to be ok with that and he assured me that they would be. Upon arrival; their maintenance informed me that maintenance should not have let the airplane go as it was and should have addressed the problem there. When in doubt; contact maintenance control and dispatch. Don't rely on one person's judgement. Document all discrepancies when they occur.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 ACFT WAS RELEASED WITH PART OF THE APU EXTERNAL DRAIN MAST MISSING; BROKEN OFF.

Narrative: PRIOR TO PUSHBACK; RAMPER CAME TO THE COCKPIT TO INFORM US THAT THERE MAY BE A PANEL MISSING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HORIZ STABILIZER. I HAD THE FO RADIO MAINT AS I WENT OUT TO INSPECT THE ACFT. I FOUND PART OF THE DRAIN MAST COVER MISSING/BROKEN OFF. WHEN MAINT ARRIVED; HE SAID THAT IT WOULD NEED REPLACED; BUT THAT IT WAS SAFE TO FLY. HE SUGGESTED THAT SINCE WE WERE FULL UP WITH PAX AND READY TO GO; THAT HE WOULD COORDINATE WITH MAINT WHEN WE LANDED AND WE COULD HAVE THE DRAIN MAST REMOVED THERE. I ASKED HIM IF OUR MAINT IN THAT CITY WAS GOING TO BE OK WITH THAT AND HE ASSURED ME THAT THEY WOULD BE. UPON ARR; THEIR MAINT INFORMED ME THAT MAINT SHOULD NOT HAVE LET THE AIRPLANE GO AS IT WAS AND SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THE PROB THERE. WHEN IN DOUBT; CONTACT MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH. DON'T RELY ON ONE PERSON'S JUDGEMENT. DOCUMENT ALL DISCREPANCIES WHEN THEY OCCUR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.